I know I said we'd be talking about keywords and stuff like that today, but I've changed my mind... I have decided that I'd talk about what 'social' actually is, or, what it should be when done well...

When you walk into a room, what's the first thing you say?

When you answer the telephone, do you say "Buy our camera bags, they're awesome!"

What about at a trade-show, do you bother with "hello" or skip straight to "will that be cash or card"

...you say HELLO! just like a normal person [mostly] would do!

That's right... Social media is about being social! I know, it's hard to fathom in today's look down, walk quickly, don't talk to anyone society - but online (most of the time) you don't get beaten up for saying hello to a random stranger, infact, largely it's encouraged!

Social media for business is a little different, but not THAT different... You do need to find the happy medium based on your audience - and most audiences are very different... Let's take for example two of my clients (both photography related) - one has a couple of hundred thousand users, the other only has about thirty thousand, the large one is dominated by people that don't like much confrontation, and are generally quite timid, whilst the smaller network is full of working pros, they take whatever you give them, they understand criticism and critique for what it is. That said, applied to my little social model here, the larger group generally like to be 'fed' a certain way via the means we use [Blog -> Facebook -> Twitter -> LinkedIn] using NetworkedBlogs and how we feed them certainly wouldn't work for the smaller lot - they prefer more informative kinds of content, less basic, a bit more chewy...

What I'm trying to say is identify and get to know your audience - create plates of yummy food [content] that they like to eat [read] and serve it hot, daily... Don't go overboard - if you feed them too much they may burst and that would be messy... if you don't feed them enough, they're going to starve... Find that balance and stick to it...

If you're 'not available to post' schedule something via Wordpress as we talked about yesterday, Wordpress is great for scheduling content, and if you use NetoworkedBlogs you can feed it out via your other social networks to make sure everyone gets enough of you...

Know your audience

Work out how often you should talk to them

Find out what they like talking about [polls, comments]

...but the MOSTimportant thing you're going to learn for today... IF YOU POST AND SOMEONE REPLIES, REPLY BACK TO THEM... If your audience are going to take the time to say something to you / your brand, be it bad or good, make sure you take the time to thank them for their comment / content... Try and get a feel for what they're like / what they are like from the way they post or interact and be on their level. Let me give you a great example of how NOT to run a Twitter account!... 185,818 angry people... Say something, don't just stand there!? The same as getting on stage and saying.... nothing? [or is it?]...how many Tweets?

Then there's the classic "you will listen to what we have to say, you will like it, we will keep saying it!" Now, I lovePhil Jones Bass gear, I play bass and I have a PJB Amp / Cab... but what I don't love and what I've tried to help with is their social media... this is what they have currently..

Here... let me 'real world' that for you...

LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME

Tomorrow... is Saturday, I may well write something tonight and automatically post it tomorrow! Or, as most of you are reading this from work whilst trying to look busy, I'll just wait until Monday! Either way, have a great weekend...